The Gentleman and the Boy
by Jonathan Anubian
Summary: A small boy with a subtle power that could break the world if it lands in the wrong hands. A lesser known gentleman criminal. It was a chance meeting that day, but it was one that would shift the balance between Heroes and Villains forever. [Rated Mature for later chapters.]
1. Chapter 1

Midoriya Izuku was born without a Quirk. By the time he was in Kindergarten the other children had begun manifesting their powers, all of them except for him. From the day he learned that he had no Quirk because of his x-rays, and that he would never manifest one, a part of him died a little. All he had ever wanted was to be a Hero. To selflessly help others with a smile on his face just like his hero- All Might. But that dream would never be realized unless he had something other than a Quirk to work with. Even without a Quirk he knew, deep down, that he couldn't abandon his dream. No matter what anyone said.

But what if he did have a Quirk? One that was subtle? So subtle in fact that it would take someone really observant to realize it's potential. And when they did figure out his Quirk they would covet it, and him.

* * *

Feet slamming hard against the concrete, eyes filled with tears, a young boy with green hair and freckles ran blindly through empty streets. His arm was singed and stung as he cradled it to his chest and continued to cry. He had no idea where he was going but he knew he had to run away. It wasn't the first time he had been beaten up by his best friend, Kacchan, but this was certainly the first time he'd ever used his power. Izuku had been so frightened by this that he had turned blindly and started running without looking back. Now he was somewhere he'd never been and was completely lost. Turning a corner he ran smack dab into someone and was nearly thrown back. Someone reached out to him and gripped his wrist, helping him keep balance. Getting his feet under him the boy sniffled and wiped at his eyes. "I-I'm so s-s-sorry." The man in front of him, if you could call him that, was made of this strange black smoke that was neither cold or warm. He had felt the hand closed around his wrist and could see the suit the man was wearing but he couldn't actually make out a face within the haze. Save for two bright spots that seemed to be the man's eyes. "That is alright, young man, you are forgiven." There was a pause before the man sighed. "Now, why are you all the way out here?" The man looked around, as if trying to find his parent. Izuku hiccuped. "B-be-c-cause Kacchan b-burnt me with his Q-quirk." The almost seven year old said, holding up his arm so the man could see. With a short, sharp, intake of breath the man reached down and inspected the burn. "Why don't you come with me for now. I can call your parents to come get you." Izuku looked up at the man, green eyes bright but inquisitive. If he was good at one thing it was seeing the good in people, and this man didn't seem like a bad guy. After a moment of looking at the man he nodded. "Mm."

* * *

Kurogiri was torn. He had been on his way back to the bar after doing a little shopping when something turned the corner and ran into his shins at a breakneck speed. Reflexively he darted a hand out, to do what he wasn't sure. Seeing that it was a child he latched onto his wrist, stopping him from falling to the pavement. The boy was small, crying, and seemed to be very lost. He had to be, seeing as this was not the kind of place for children of any sort, and the boy didn't have the look of someone born to parents involved in nasty business. That begged the question; how had he come to be there? "I-I'm so s-s-sorry." At least he was polite, whoever he was. "That is alright, young man, you are forgiven." He pondered what to do next and let out a sigh. Normally he wasn't one to meddle but the boy just gave off this vibe that made him want to shelter the poor lad. "Now, why are you all the way out here?"

"B-be-c-cause Kacchan b-burnt me with his Q-quirk." The answer made him frown, the wound even more so. Who would leave a child with such a powerful quirk to do god knows what to other children like this? It was irresponsible. As he continued to look at the burn he also began to notice other scrapes and bruises. No doubt also from this 'Kacchan.' Offering the boy a place to wait while his parents were called Kurogiri had actually expected to be denied. Imagine his surprise when the boy stared at him, as if he could see into his very soul, before smiling and agreeing to go with him. A strange child.

As they were walking, the boy still nursing his arm slightly, he began to wonder what kind of Quirk the child had. "May I ask a question?" He glanced to the boy, who cocked his head to the side before smiling and nodding. "Why did you not use your own Quirk to fight back? Is it not combat oriented?" The boy stopped dead, head falling and tears coming to his eyes again. "…Idon'thaveone." He'd spoken so fast and so quietly that he couldn't be sure about what he'd heard. "I beg your pardon?" Shuffling his feet and looking back up almost defiantly the boy took a calming breath or two before answering. "I don't have one. The doctor said that I would never have one." Well, that explains that then, he thought to himself. The child couldn't have fought back no matter how he tried. Looking at his size he could tell the boy was no fighter. His eyes were too kind, smile too wide, and body too small. "I see." Was all he replied with. The boy looked down again, as if ashamed. "There is no shame in not having a Quirk. There are a few in my own generation who did not obtain one, that I know of." The child looked shocked but smiled. It made Kurogiri smile in return, not that the boy could see it. When was the last time he'd seen such an open and trusting face?

When they made it to the bar he held the door open for the boy. To his credit the child looked inside, frowned, and then looked up at him in confusion. "I was shopping for my work when you ran into me." He explained. "Come inside and I'll make you a snack." Again the boy beamed up and him and without further ado walked right inside. As the child began to explore the main room of the bar Kurogiri took the supplies to the very small kitchen in the back. The shadowy looking bartender quickly put together a small sandwich and a glass of orange juice, usually used for mixing alcoholic beverages. Passing by the medical kit he picked it up on the way, worried about the boy's arm. "Come here child." He said and placed the plate on the bar. The boy scampered over and climbed up on the stool. "Th-thank you so much!" He said, putting his hands together and closing his eyes. Picking up the first quarter of the sandwich he left his arm resting on his lap and kicked his feet. He was cheery for someone so hurt. "I can't keep calling you 'child,' what is your name?" The boy swallowed his mouthful before answering. Someone had taught him very good manners. Kurogiri approved. "Midoriya Izuku. But Kacchan and the others call me Deku…" 'Deku?' He thought, baffled for a moment. Then it struck him. The child was Quirkless and children could be quite cruel. "Izuku-kun, then." For a moment the boy looked shy. "What's your name?" A chuckle worked it's way out of his throat. "Kurogiri."

Coming around the bar he knelt and examined the boy's arm once more. "This might hurt a little but I need to clean and bandage that." It was strange how gently his voice had come out. Although he was always formal in his speech he was usually cold and logical. Something about the child was bringing out a part of himself he had long since buried. "Mkay." Looking a little apprehensive the boy held out his arm. Gently he began to clean the skin and was glad to see that it wasn't as bad as he'd initially thought. He might still need to go to the hospital but there was no splitting or charring. Just a very angry burn. Applying some antiseptic he heard the child gasp and held onto his arm firmly as he squirmed. "I know it hurts. But it will feel better in a moment." He soothed, though why he had no idea. Slathering the ointment over the burn he wrapped the bandage just tightly enough so as not to rub against the skin. "There, I am done." The boy looked down at his arm, his eyes showing some relief from the pain, and he smiled. "Thank you Kuro-san!" Blinking at the child as he stood up he felt warmth spreading outward from his chest and he couldn't help but to pat the child on the head. "You are very welcome." It was as if some invisible force was gently nudging him to be kind to the child. Vaguely disturbed he moved to the back of the counter as the boy finished his sandwich and juice.

"Now then. Can you tell me your phone number?" The boy's face scrunched up slightly but after a moment he started to recite the numbers in a sing-song voice. Picking up the phone he dialed and waited for an answer, but there was none. "Do your parents work long hours?" He asked as he set the phone back on the receiver. It was kind of cute how fascinated the child was with the out-dated phone. "Daddy… he's always gone. Mommy works at the hospital. Sometimes I go over to auntie Bakugou's house to play." So the woman was either a doctor, nurse, or one of the other staff. "Do you know Bakugou-san's number?" The boy nibbled his lip and shook his head. Kurogiri sighed. Well, the child was young. No doubt he had little on his mind other than playing games. "How about your address?" This time the child opened his mouth then closed it again, looking a little afraid. "Mommy wrote it inside my backpack. But… I left it behind…" Honestly, his child was going to be quite the hassle. However the downtrodden and guilty look on his face made the man relent. He was only a child who had been frightened and hurt. "I will see what I can do to find out where you live."

Handing the boy some paper and a pen, since he didn't have anything remotely colorful or child-like in the bar, he started to make a few calls. Certainly calling the police and having them pick up the child was the fastest and easiest option but with his profession that would only bring unwanted scrutiny. Glancing down at the childish drawing he sighed. The boy was clearly a fan of heroes, and All Might in particular. But he was only a child, he would learn eventually.

An hour later he had some idea of where the child's home was but didn't know what to do from there. It would probably be best to drop him off at a police station. He couldn't exactly waltz in there and report him as a lost child. Yet the idea of leaving him outside alone made him far too worried. Looking over to the booth where the child now sat, he had gotten uncomfortable on the stool after a while, he found the boy sound asleep curled up on the bench. Such an innocent child. Trusting of those around him and never expecting anything terrible to happen. Although with how the other children seemed to bully him there was probably more beneath the surface he wasn't showing to others. It would be easy to warp him back home but something told him it would be a bad idea. Instead he decided he would just walk the child home. At least then if someone he knew recognized him he could hand the boy off and disappear quickly. It was probably not the best plan but it somehow made sense to him.

"Izuku-kun?" He said, gently shaking the boy awake. Rubbing at his emerald green eyes the boy looked up at him in confusion for a moment. "Dad?" He asked. Kurogiri sucked in a breath. He wasn't sure whether to be cross at being confused for the boy's absent father or amused at his mistake. "Oh! Kuro-san. M'sorry. I fell asleep." It seemed he had recovered quickly. "I'm going to take you home now." One quick call to a taxi service later and the boy was sitting next to him in the vehicle, watching the streets go by and muttering under his breath. This day could not get any more strange, he thought to himself.

Honestly it was a little ridiculous just how far the child had run, injured and crying, and no one had stopped to ask if he was okay. That was another reason the Hero system needed to be wiped out. There was no personal responsibility anymore. Standers-by would watch something terrible happening before their eyes and do nothing, expecting someone else to come by and just make everything better. It was disgraceful.

Stopping the car at the corner nearest the boy's house he paid the driver and waited for the boy to join him. "This is as far as I know. You will have to show me where you live from here." He said. The boy smiled at him, nodding, and reached up to grab his hand. For a moment he stiffened, resisting the contact, but those trusting eyes stared up at him so he relented. From there the boy babbled incessantly about everything to do with the neighborhood. Like where his friends lived, where there was a good park to climb trees and play, that sort of thing. As they were walking he spied a couple of police officers who seemed to be looking around for something. So the boy had been missed. "Izuku-kun." A bright smile and green eyes stared up at him and he smiled in return. "I must get back to my work, you understand?" Frowning the child looked at the ground but nodded. "See those… nice policemen over there?" Following Kurogiri's finger he spied them. "Yup!" Well he didn't need glasses at least. "I want you to go and tell them your name and that you were lost." After a moment's thought he brought up the one thing that worried him, though he should have kept out of it. "And tell them about your arm and who hurt you. You need to see a doctor and someone with that power shouldn't be using it to… hurt others." Ugh. He was sounding like a pretentious hero now. This most certainly made him a hypocrite. But sometimes lies were easier than the truth. Particularly when talking to small children. "Uhm... Okay. Thank you Kuro-san!" He let go of the boy's hand and nodded politely. "Stay safe." He had no idea why he'd said that.

Once the boy had reached the officers the man warped himself back into his bar. The moment he stepped behind the counter everything from before came back to him and he stood there in confusion for at least five minutes. Going over the interactions with the child in his head he wondered what had made him act in such an uncharacteristic manner. Shaking his head to clear it he found the papers and pen he'd given the boy. With no remorse he threw the drawings in the trash and put the pen back beneath the counter. Well, there was no reason to dwell on a child he would never see again.

Oh how wrong he had been.

* * *

In this story Izuku's Quirk is going to be very broken and overpowered.  
It's based on a character from Piers Anthony's Xanth series. If you can guess which one I'm talking about- you get a cookie. ^w^b And a shout-out in a later chapter.


	2. Chapter 2

A week had passed since Kurogiri had helped the young boy to get home. Since then he thought often on his actions and how out of place they had been for him. He thought he had long since hardened his heart but it seemed there were still vestiges of decency deep down. Certainly he wanted the heroes to die off, and yes he did not mind aiding villains in killing them, but he was not completely heartless. It had just come as a surprise for him to act so friendly toward the child instead of his usual calm professionalism. Then there was that strange sensation after the boy had left. As if the energy in the air had changed and he was _missing_ something suddenly.

Trying to ignore the disconcerting feeling he spent the morning at home relaxing and doing some reading. His home was not particularly large and the building might not have been what one considered well to do. But it was tidy, organized, and filled with things a proper gentleman should have in his life. The bookshelves along the walls were filled with all sorts of literature from novels by famous authors to national geographics to maps of the world. Although he was known only for his Quirk he was actually talented as a strategist. Not that many of the criminals he worked with appreciated such a trait in what they considered to be a tool, a means to an end.

As noon approached he tidied the apartment and got ready to head to work. Wearing the same uniform as always, a crisp white shirt, buttoned vest, and a suitable tie with black sacks, he reached for that place inside where he could feel his power pulsing with life. Opening a portal he walked into the bar and gave it a quick sweep. It was nice not needing a vehicle. Especially with the economy as it was currently. Affording his apartment was no issue with the Villain work he did but owning a car on top of that would have been troublesome.

He opened for the day and stood behind the bar, waiting for the regulars to arrive as he checked stock. His establishment was well known as a meeting place for villains to take contracts, plan dirty deeds, or look for employment. Almost on cue the door opened and a couple of shadier individuals came inside. "Welcome." He said with a polite nod. Both waved at him and grabbed a booth for themselves. They were regulars and he already knew what sort of drinks they would be ordering.

It was around four in the afternoon that Kurogiri got the shock of a lifetime. Rough voices outside the door, talking loudly and braying like mules, came closer until suddenly the door was kicked open. "Comin' in!" The first man said jovially, his shark-like teeth set in a wide grin. Kurokigi blinked at the man before bowing his head politely. "Welcome." This was someone he had never seen in his establishment before. Either they were looking for a job or about to start trouble. Kurogiri did not allow trouble in his place of business. If they started anything they would find themselves in the bay.

"Same-san! Kicking doors is not nice." He froze. The wild man with the sharp teeth turned around, running a hand sheepishly across the back of his neck. "Sorry Izu-kun, bad habit." Standing behind him was the child from a week ago, followed by another stranger with odd metallic spikes for hair. The boy was frowning slightly, though more in concern than in anger. "You should say sorry to Kuro-san, it's his door." Unbelievably the man turned to look at him, grimaced slightly, then lowered his head. "My bad." He glanced to the boy. A bright smile crossed his face and it made him look all the more out of place in this bar for criminals.

"Hello Kuro-san!" Walking into the establishment, as if it was the most natural thing in the world, the boy slipped off his backpack, climbed up onto a stool, and sat down. "Izuku-kun, how did you find your way here?" The boy looked triumphant, as if he were proud of some accomplishment. "I remembered the street names! I knew I could do it!" Considering how he hadn't even been able to remember his own address that was a bit surprising. "And when I got lost and couldn't remember Same-san and Kasui-san helped me!"

All eyes turned toward the shark toothed man and his metallic haired companion. Both shrugged. "Kid looked lost." Same said as he leaned against a wall. "We was headin' down this way anyhow." Kurogiri highly doubted that. They looked like two-bit thugs who were already part of a large gang; not solo criminals looking for work. "I see." He said politely, unsure what to do

Turning back to the child he wanted to sigh. The boy couldn't be older than six, his size and mannerisms made that evident. How had he slipped away from his caretakers and made it all the way through the roughest parts of town to end up at his bar? The boy smiled at him brightly as he kicked his feet jovially. Opening his backpack he pulled out a notebook covered in crayon drawings of what may have been heroes. Kurogiri had to suppress the urge to place his face in his hands and groan. "Does anyone know you are here, Izuku-kun?" The boy blinked at him, emerald eyes wide before he tipped his chin downward and stared at the floor. The child fidgeted, grabbing onto his shirt as he shook his head no. Kurogiri could practically feel the boy's sadness as he finally looked up. "Is that bad?" _'Yes.'_ He immediately thought to himself. Yet he found he couldn't be as blunt with the boy.

"Your parents or caretakers might worry about you if they do not know where you are." If they knew where he was now there was sure to be a huge stir. The boy disappears and ends up in a bar with a bunch of hugs and one gentleman criminal. He would never hear the end of it. "But…" Opening the book in his hands he set it down. "I wanted to show you…" Curious he turned the book around and looked at the page. It was a child's school book. One page was blank, meant for drawing pictures, and the other was lined, for writing. The image on the page was made up of purple, black, grey, and splotches of yellow. The accompanying message, written in a surprisingly neat hand for a child his age, was only one word; thank you.

The boy watched him, biting on his lip and looking nervous. Kurogiri didn't have the heart to be angry. "It is a wonderful drawing." The boy perked up, beaming at him as if the praise was the first he had heard in his life. Movement behind the boy had him switch focus. One of the regulars stood there watching him and the child with a confused look on his face. "Kurogiri-san, I didn't know you even had a brat." Although taken aback by the words he should have expected them as an outcome. Of course they would assume Izuku was his child. "You are mistaken." He said politely. "Izuku-kun is just… a friend." It was hard to come up with the words to explain. His credibility as a cold-hearted and professional villain would take a hit if it got out that he had helped some random child off the street.

"Hn." The man responded, staring at them for a moment longer before shrugging. "Add the drink to my tab, I'll pay it when I get back from this job." He nodded. "Of course." The man was a regular and frequently took less dangerous jobs. Otherwise he would have asked for the money up front. "Bye, work hard!" Izuku said, turning around on the stool to wave at the man. He paused and looked down at the greenette before giving him a faint smile and a short wave.

 _Incredible._ He thought. _Kazuki-san is well known for being a surly bastard._ Glancing down at the boy as he spoke with another regular he couldn't help but think it was his influence that cause the strange phenomenon. Clearing his throat to catch the boy's attention he motioned at the back. "Would you like a snack?" Izuku nodded as he pulled out more of his school things and began drawing in the notebook.

Throwing together a quick sandwich and pouring some juice he served the boy like he had the first time they'd met. "Once you're finished you'll have to go home." The boy's head snapped up and he pouted. "But Kacchan's really mad today!" It took him a moment to remember the name and he frowned. "Is that the boy with the firey quirk?" He nodded, looking dejected as he rubbed at his lightly bandaged arm. "He's my friend." The most expressive part of him, his eyes, narrowed almost dangerously. Clearly the other boy had not taken the discipline to heart, if he was even disciplined at all. "Has he threatened to hurt you?" His tone was perhaps a little heavier than he meant it to be, since those in the bar looked at him quizzically. It was rare that he got angry or showed much emotion besides his usual polite mask.

"No, he, um, see we were just playing heroes! But cause I don't have a quirk I was the bad guy…" Izuku wouldn't look him in the eye. Which meant that yes, the other boy had hurt him. Maybe not threatened to but most certainly acted upon it. This knowledge filled him with conflicting feelings. On the one hand it was none of his business what happened to a child that was not his own. On the other hand… Izuku was such a sweet child. Without a quirk he was also defenseless against a boy who could burn him with a touch. Clearly whoever was watching him while his parents were at work was not watching the children carefully. "I see." He tried to level out his voice, so the boy would not be frightened by his growing anger.

"Kacchan is gonna be a hero someday…" Izuku's voice trailed off as he looked down at his hands, smiling even as tears came to his eyes. "So I gotta work hard too." The entire bar had gone almost deadly silent. Either due to Kurogiri's out of character anger or because of the child's mention of heroes.

The thug with shark teeth that had come in with Izuku stepped closer. "Hol' on, kiddo. You're…" It looked like he was trying to say something without being awkward or harsh about it, but had no clue how to do that. "You don't have… a quirk?" The boy stiffened and looked up at the shark man through his hair. "Nuh uh." The thug's brow furrowed. "And some punk is hittin ya?" The boy sagged slightly and looked away. It was obvious he wanted to defend his friend but was unsure what to say. "Why don't you show me this brat, eh?" Kurogiri felt his anger fade as the thug grinned at the boy. "I'll set'im straight for you Izu-kun."

Mildly alarmed by this he felt the need to step in. "I'm certain the boy will learn quickly not to fight others. But we wouldn't want Izuku-kun getting in trouble with the law by association." He made sure to use larger and more formal words, words the boy probably wouldn't understand at his young age. Izuku had yet to realize he was in a bar filled with crooks and low level villains. Just thinking about the child being afraid of him made his heart clench in his chest. "We don't want to frighten him." The thug seemed to take the hint and backed down, though he grumbled about it.

"…I could teach you some self defense if you like, kid." A man known as Sokudo Kyou looked over from the booth he had been sitting at quietly, observing the room. Kurogiri froze. The man was dangerous. His quirk, Speed Demon, allowed him to move faster than the eye could track. But he didn't just rely on his speed. He was a known dojo crusher and was an advanced martial artist. His mouth went dry. Why were so many of these crooks, who only ever looked out for themselves, so keen on helping a child they had only just met? The possibilities chilled him and he worried he might have to spirit the boy away at a moments notice.

"Really? That would be cool!" Just like that the boy's mood did a complete one-eighty and he was back to babbling happily. Kyou gave Izuku a card, ruffling his hair gently. Getting a good look at it he was surprised to see it had the name and number for a dojo on it. So the dojo crusher was also an instructor? That was more information about the man than he'd gathered in five years of their acquaintance. Izuku was an odd child, but harmless. So much so that even the hardened criminals seemed to let their guard down around him.

After another hour Kurogiri politely kicked everyone out and told Izuku that he needed to go home. The boy pouted but waved good-bye to everyone. This time Kurogiri would just teleport the boy to the same street as before. It was faster and lighter on the wallet. He wasn't made of money, after all. Again the boy took his hand and he found he couldn't pull away. "Izuku-kun?" The child looked up at him, curious. "What do you think of the… people at the bar?" He refrained from calling them criminals, or using large words that the boy might not yet know. A wide smile crossed the greenette's face. "They're all super nice!" He almost stumbled.

Cut throats, purse snatchers, bank robbers, low level thieves… and this child thought they were 'nice' people? Kami bless his innocent soul. "Hold tight." He said. "This may feel a tad strange." The boy looked confused before the black fog engulfed them both and they vanished. Reappearing at the end of the street the boy gaped at his surroundings. "So cool! Kuro-san, is that your Quirk?" He nodded. The boy made a few high pitched sounds, too excited to speak.

When they reached the area close to the boy's home he let go of his hand and knelt. "Listen, Izuku-kun. I don't want you to come to my bar any more." The excitement faded to devastation. "B-but why?" He took a deep breath. "That part of tow can be dangerous. There are fights between heroes and villains to worry about. So please, don't come to the bar again." The boy frowned, his mouth becoming a thin line as he mulled Kurogiri's words over. "No. I like it there. Everyone is nice. And Kacchan isn't…" He bit his tongue suddenly and Kurogiri felt his anger from before return. So the other boy was more akin to a bully rather than a friend. "I… I'll ask Kaa-san for lessons from Kyou-san! That way I can fight too." He wanted to protest but found himself quickly losing the drive to. "You'll see, Kuro-san!"

Finally he just gave in. There was no stopping the child. "Did you come to the bar right after school?" He nodded. "I see." He could ask someone to keep an eye out for the boy. But unless he wanted to speak with his mother and come under suspicion he couldn't convince the child otherwise. If he wanted to he could scare the boy off by taking him somewhere high up. But he didn't want to. With a final sigh he resigned himself to keeping an eye on the boy and making sure he was okay. Since clearly none of his caretakers were doing so.

"Alright, Izuku-kun. I will see you another day." Izuku gave him a bright smile that he did not deserve before he ran off toward his home, stopping once to wave good-bye to him.

Once he'd seen the boy head inside safely he disappeared from the street and returned to the bar. There the regulars and the two gang thugs were snarling at each other outside the door, posturing, and seemed highly agitated for some reason. It was… unnerving. Taking a deep calming breath to collect himself he waded through them and re-opened the bar. The absence of the boy seemed to change the very atmosphere of the place. _'Izuku-kun,'_ he thought, ' _no one here could ever be called 'nice.'_


End file.
